Display cabinet



E. A. SHANK DISPLAY CABINET Nov. 26, 1940.

Filed March 5, 1959 INVENTOR Edwm A. Shan/ u SYM ATTORNEYS Patented Nov.26, 1940 UNITED STATES DISPLAY CABINET- y Edwin A. Shank, New Rochelle,N .,Y. f

Application `March 3, 1939,'Se1'ial No. 259,543

1 Claim.

My invention relates to display cabinets and particularly relates tomulti-compartment display cabinets of the folding or knock-down type;that is, cabinets which may be folded and collapsed when not in use sothat their bulk is materially reduced for storage and transportationpurposes.

The main object ofpmy invention is the provision of a display cabinetcomprising a plurality of wall members hingedly secured to a rear wallmember so that when opened they define, with the wall member, amulti-compartment display cabinet, and when closed, will lie flatlyagainst one another.

l5 A further object of my invention is to provide a device of thecharacter described which has a number of intermediate wall portionsdividing the cabinet into a plurality of compartments.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a device of thecharacter described which is simple and easy to manufacture and assembleand of relatively low cost.

Referring to the drawing annexed hereto and forming a part hereof.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of device constructedaccording to and embodying my invention; l

Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the device of my invention in folded orcollapsed form;

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view of one end wall member;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on the line 4--4 of Fig; 3; and

Fig. 5 is a vertical section on the line 5-5 .of

Fig. 1.

Reference numeral I0 indicates my new and improved cabinet generally,which comprises a rear wall I2, a front wall I4 and a plurality ofcompartment wall members I6 pivotally connected to the wall members I2and I4. In the herein-described and illustrated embodiment of myinvention, three compartment wall members I6 are shown, dividing thecabinet into two compartments, A and B, but this is for illustrationonly and my invention is not to be limited to a double-compartmentcabinet. My invention will operate equally well with any reasonablenumber of compartments.

The rear or base wall I2 comprises a sheet of light gage metal ofgenerally rectangular shape. The compartment wall members I6 aresimilarly formed of light gage metal, and may be of any desired size orshape, limited only in that the lower horizontal edge I8 is straight andthe rear spaced in from the extremities thereof, as at 10 25, 25. Theperipheral edges of each wall member are bent or rolled into hollowtubes and a suitable wire threaded into the tubes, which wires serve notonly to stiffen the wall members and impart rigidity thereto, but alsoto secure the wall members to the base member I2.

I provide a plurality .of tubular members 26, 26 which are formed ofsmall narrow strips of suitable light-gage metal, doubled over to formopen-ended tubes. These tubes 26, 26 are arranged in pairs and disposedand secured in vertical alignment on rear Wall I2, as by spot welding orthreading through suitably formed slits in said rear Wall (not shown).These loops are of such size and are so spaced as to be received Withinopenings 25, 25 in the rear vertical edge 20 .of each of the compartmentwall members.

The tube formed along the horizontal lower edge I8 of each compartmentwall member I6 is indicated by reference numeral 30, and the tube formedalong the vertical rear edge 20 of each wall member is indicated byreference numeral 32. A single wire 34 is threaded through these tubesand through the rear wall tubes 26, 26 aligned therewith. The wire 34 isof such length that the front end 36 thereof projects outwardly from thewall into the cut-outportion 2I, and is bent up, at right angles, as at38. 'Ihe remaining edge 40 of each Wall I6 is similarly formed into atube 42, and a wire 44 threaded thereinto. The lower-edge 46 of wire 44is extendeddownwardly into thecut-out portion 2l in linewith theupstanding end 38 of wire 34.

Front wall member I4, also a stamping, is of such height as to t withinthe cut-out portions 2| of each wall member, and is of width equal tothe width of rear wall I2. The longitudinal edges of front wall memberI2 are bent or rolled over as at 50, 50, and a plurality of verticallyaligned openings 52, 52 are formed in the bent over portions 50, 5U intowhich openings are passed the extensions 46 of wires 44 and the alignedextensions 38 of Wires 34, completing the assembly of my cabinet andsecur- 55 ing the parts in position. The number of pairs of openings 52correspond to the number of compartment wall members. The vertical edges55 of wall I4 are also bent or rolled over to form tubes into which thetwo wire components of the endmost wall members may be passed.

To open the device for use, the wall members I6 are pivoted out at rightangles to the base wall I2 defining the two compartments A and B, andthe device as a whole disposed to rest on its horizontal lower edges I8,I8. When not in use, or when arranged for shipment or storage, thedevice is collapsed and the parts arranged so that the compartment wallmembers I6, IE are disposed flatly against each other, sandwiched inbetween the front and rear walls I4, I2, resulting in a neat, compact,easily handled unit.

I claim:

A knock-down display cabinet comprising a rear wall portion, a pluralityof compartment wall portions each having a straight horizontal loweredge and a straight Vertical rear edge and having cut-outs at the frontthereof adjacent the lower edge, a front wall portion of size to iitwithin the cut-outs, means to pivotally secure said compartment walls tothe front and rear walls, the marginal edges of all the compartment wallmembers being provided with tubular members having wires threadedtherethrough, the ends of which wires project at the cut-outs, and thefront wall portion has means thereon to receive the projecting ends ofthe wires for pivotal engagement with said compartment wall portions.

EDWTN A. SHANKy

